Liquid Geography: Geography of Vine and Wine David R. Green

Terroir What is Terroir? (see e.g. What is Terroir? (see e.g. According to Gary L. Peters Terroir: According to Gary L. Peters Terroir: English has no precise translation for the French word terroir. Terrain comes the nearest, but has a less specific, let less emotive, connotation. Perhaps this is why many Anglo-Saxon mistrust it as a Gallic fancy… It embraces the dirt itself, the subsoil beneath it, its physical properties and how they relate to the local climate – for example, how quickly, it drains, whether it reflects sunlight or absorbs its heat. It embraces the lie of the land: its degree of slope; its orientation to the sun; and the tricks of microclimate that spring from its location and its surroundings. English has no precise translation for the French word terroir. Terrain comes the nearest, but has a less specific, let less emotive, connotation. Perhaps this is why many Anglo-Saxon mistrust it as a Gallic fancy… It embraces the dirt itself, the subsoil beneath it, its physical properties and how they relate to the local climate – for example, how quickly, it drains, whether it reflects sunlight or absorbs its heat. It embraces the lie of the land: its degree of slope; its orientation to the sun; and the tricks of microclimate that spring from its location and its surroundings.

Terroir The term "terroir" has its origin in Burgundy The term "terroir" has its origin in Burgundy It encompasses all aspects of the physical environment of vine cultivation underlying and shaping the character and quality of the wine including meteorology, physiography, pedology, geology and (often) viticultural controls It encompasses all aspects of the physical environment of vine cultivation underlying and shaping the character and quality of the wine including meteorology, physiography, pedology, geology and (often) viticultural controls The significance of terroir may be understood by the simple occurrence of two adjacent vineyards that share most aspects of the same physical environment and viticultural practices, but produce very different wines The significance of terroir may be understood by the simple occurrence of two adjacent vineyards that share most aspects of the same physical environment and viticultural practices, but produce very different wines But any given terroir may vary in quality from, say, a warm dry year to a cool wet year, where vineyard A produces better wine under the former conditions, and vineyard B better wine under the latter conditions But any given terroir may vary in quality from, say, a warm dry year to a cool wet year, where vineyard A produces better wine under the former conditions, and vineyard B better wine under the latter conditions

Terroir Outside of France, the concept of terroir is commonly misrepresented or misunderstood, and geologic and physiographic considerations may be ignored. Outside of France, the concept of terroir is commonly misrepresented or misunderstood, and geologic and physiographic considerations may be ignored. In France, no such confusion exists, the French having had thousands of years of hands-on viticultural experience in matching particular grape varieties with specific settings. In France, no such confusion exists, the French having had thousands of years of hands-on viticultural experience in matching particular grape varieties with specific settings. In one of the sub districts of Burgundy, for example, vignerons have known for hundreds of years where the vineyards that produce top-quality wines should be located; it is only recently that geologists have shown that, in this instance, the borders of vineyard designations correspond almost exactly with stratigraphic boundaries. In one of the sub districts of Burgundy, for example, vignerons have known for hundreds of years where the vineyards that produce top-quality wines should be located; it is only recently that geologists have shown that, in this instance, the borders of vineyard designations correspond almost exactly with stratigraphic boundaries. Note: A vigneron is someone who cultivates a vineyard for winemaking

Terroir As testament to the importance attached to the subsoil/bedrock, the French Appellation Laws of 1935 protect the quality of winemaking regions under the auspices of L'Institute National des Appellations d'Origine, whose team of six scholars includes two geologists! As testament to the importance attached to the subsoil/bedrock, the French Appellation Laws of 1935 protect the quality of winemaking regions under the auspices of L'Institute National des Appellations d'Origine, whose team of six scholars includes two geologists! Research has been undertaken to map Terroir using GIS (varieties and wine quality) Research has been undertaken to map Terroir using GIS (varieties and wine quality) Research also shows that best terroir of major viticultural regions have a narrow climatic window and may be vulnerable to climate change Research also shows that best terroir of major viticultural regions have a narrow climatic window and may be vulnerable to climate change Note: Appellation: A name, title, or designation - a protected name under which a wine may be sold, indicating that the grapes used are of a specific kind from a specific district - the act of naming - An appellation is a geographical indication used to identify where the grapes for a wine were grown. Note: Appellation: A name, title, or designation - a protected name under which a wine may be sold, indicating that the grapes used are of a specific kind from a specific district - the act of naming - An appellation is a geographical indication used to identify where the grapes for a wine were grown.